National Assembly (NA) Commission 7th chairman Hun Many headed a delegation of parliamentarians to attend a virtual bilateral meeting with representatives of China’s National People’s Congress to discuss three topics on May 24.

Many led the online meeting after receiving permission from NA president Heng Samrin, according to the commission’s Facebook page, which recently published the meetings’ preparations.

The first topic discussed was promoting peace, economic development, maintaining multilateralism and building prosperity for humanity and to continue support and cooperation during and after Covid-19.

The second topic was reducing the socio-economic impact caused by Covid-19 and improving resilience after the global pandemic. The third is to strengthen and expand cooperation between the Chinese and Cambodian parliaments, especially the relationship between young parliamentarians towards strengthening the rule of law.

According to the NA’s official Facebook page, the meeting stemmed from talks between Samrin and Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People's Congress, on January 18.

NA spokesman Leng Peng Long told The Post on May 24 that the meeting between the countries’ parliamentary leaders, as well as the bilateral meeting between young Cambodian and Chinese lawmakers, was to maintain the strong Cambodian-Sino relationship at both the legislative and executive levels.

He added that this meeting also shows the efforts and high sense of responsibility of NA members to continue the work that serves the common good despite Covid-19.

"This meeting is within the framework of Cambodia-China cooperation ... We expect these meetings to bring the two countries closer.

"What we are doing is to exchange ideas and look at further cooperation in the future... Once Covid-19 has ended, both parties may exchange visits and exchange more ideas," he said.